Guarding the forest guardians
Saving the great apes is also about saving people. By conserving the
great apes, we can protect the livelihoods of many people who rely on
forests for food, clean water and much else. Indeed, the fate of the great
apes has both practical and symbolic implications for the ability of human
beings to move to a sustainable future.
Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General
 Great apes live in forest ecosystems of 23 African and Asian countries (range States). With the mantle of ecosystem sustainability draped around their shoulders, great apes play a key role in maintaining the health and diversity of their ecosystems, usually through seed dispersal and creation of gaps in the forest canopy. This accords them a key status as flagship species. A decline of their populations is a key signal of an underlying decrease of other species in the ecosystems.
Great apes are faced with unprecedented threats from the combined effects of hunting, illegal logging and forest land farming. They could vanish from the wild in less than 50 years.
UNEP’s Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP) aims to conserve viable populations of great apes and their forest habitats through pro-poor conservation and sustainable development strategies. These forested tropical ecosystems regulate the climate and provide food, water, medicine and timber.
Although widespread illegal logging remains a challenge, GRASP’s actions led to the seizure of 70,000 cubic metres of illegal timber in Indonesia in 2007. In the same year, GRASP worked with partners to raise awareness on the impacts of degazetting two forest reserves in Uganda. Such efforts assist to protect forests legislatively and socially, by sensitizing communities on the value of forest ecosystems.
In line with the Kinshasa Declaration, GRASP provided financial support to twenty-seven field projects in the range countries. The projects strengthened community
participation in biodiversity decision-making in seven range States. They also resulted in strengthened wildlife law enforcement in Cameroon, Democratic Republic
of Congo and Indonesia, the High Conservation Value Forest (HCFV) Land Assessments and models in Indonesia.
Apart from facilitating the field projects, GRASP provided technical support to 20 range States. This support strengthened the policies of national authorities in nine
countries. It also improved trans-boundary collaboration between seven West, Central and East African range states. Such teamwork is the essence of GRASP. It plays a key role in GRASP’s effort to tap into its ability to leverage political support and technical expertise to help mitigate drangers posed to great ape populations and their habitats. |
